News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-02-03
The Treaty Of 1918.

<Ao SLAS S-AoSO ~ SAN
of 1918 is of prime Importance in the
controversy between the United States
and Canada over the fisheries, we pre-
sent below the first article of that in
strument, which is the only one bear
ing on the fisheries. The treaty opens
with the usual exchange of credentials,
and the object of the high contract
ing parties is stated to be that they
were "desirous to cement the good I'M
| Outstanding which happily subsists
/ between them" The treaty under
took to settle not only fishery, but
boundary and other questions. The
negotiators were John Robinson and
Henry Goulburn, members OF the
British cabinet and Secretaries OF the
State and Treasury, and Albert Cal
latin and Richard Rush, our Ministers
to France and Great Britain. Article
one is as follows -
Whereas, differences have arisen
respecting the liberty claimed by the
United States for the inhabitants
thereof to take, dry and cure fish on
certain coasts, bays harbors and creeks
of his Britannia majesty's dominion
America, it is agreed between the
high contracting parties that the in
habitants of the United States shall
have forever, in common with the SUBJ
jects of his Britannia majesty, the lib
erty to take fish of any kind on that
part of the south coast of Newfound-
land, which extends from Cape Ray to
the Ramea islands,-on the western
and northern coasts of Newfoundland
from the said Cape Ray to the OUR
pom islands, on the shores of the
Magdalen islands, and also on the
coasts, bays, harbors and creeks,
from Mt. Jolly on the southern coast
of Labrador to and through the
straits of Belle Isle, and thence north
wardly indefinitely along the coast,
without prejudice, however to any of
the exclusive rights of the Hudson's
Bay company. And that the Ameri-
can fishermen shall also have the lib
erty forever to dry and cure fish in
any of the unsettled bays, harbors and
creeks of the southern part of the
coast of Newfoundland, hereabove
described, and of the coast of Labra-
dor but so soon as the same or any
portion thereof shall be settled, it
shall not be lawful for the said fisher
men to dry or cure fish at such por-
ton so settled, without previous agree
ment for such purpose with the inhab-
itants, proprietors or possessors of
the ground. And the United States
hereby renounce forever any liberty
heretofore enjoyed or claimed by the
inhabitants thereof to take, dry or
cure fish on or within three marine
miles of any of the coasts, bays,
creeks or harbors of his Britannia
majesty's dominions in America, not
, included within the above mentioned
limits; provided, however that the
, American fishermen shall be admitted
to enter such bays or harbors for the
purposes of shelter and of repairing
damages therein, of purchasing wood
and of obtaining water, and for no
other purposes whatever. But they
: shall be under such restrictions as
shall be necessary to prevent their
taking, drying or curing fish therein,
or in any other manner whatever
abusing the privileges hereby reserved
to them.
i The treaty was signed in October,
! 1918, and was duly ratified. 1t clear
lv has to do with certain inshore fish
cries, that is, the privilege of taking
| fish within league of the shore and
of landing for the purposes of drying
and curing the same, or of the use of
harbors for shelter, and for obtaining
| wood and repairing damages. Fish
ermen so engaged could not otherwise
trade, and it is clear that they could
not buy bait. But on the other hand
there Is no warrant for supposing that
American fishermen on the high seas,
duly authorized by the American gov
: eminent to touch and trade, lost any
of their privileges by this treaty. The
, present American, attitude is that our
fishermen care nothing for provincial
, bait, or for fishing inside of three
miles, but they are tenacious of the
right to make port, purchase supplies,
t ship men, unload fish and send 1t in
t bond to the United States, and of
5 all the commercial privileges accord
2 ed to other fishermen or accorded by
, US to Canadian fishermen in our ports.